Join us as we step into the enchanting world of Rachel and Shane’s fun, whimsical wedding. From a surprise proposal under the radiant Uluru sunset to an intimate and cosy indoor ceremony, every moment was infused with love, warmth, and a touch of magic. Their celebration at the picturesque Ancora wedding venue, set against the backdrop of the tranquil Tweed River, radiated an intimate charm.

With colourful florals, heartfelt moments, and with just a dash of rain, this wedding exuded joy and genuine connection at every turn. Get ready to be swept away by the ethereal beauty and undeniable romance of Rachel and Shane’s special day! And with the help of their photographer, Figtree Pictures, and their videographer, Lemon Tree Film House, each and every whimsical moment was captured.

Rachel and Shane knew of each other through mutual friends, and at one point in their lives, they were even neighbours! But they’d say they actually met when they were both at a Ziggy Alberts concert.

When they were living up in Katherine in the Northern Territory, they planned a trip down to Uluru for Rachel’s birthday. “It was the evening of my 27th birthday, and we had a perfect spot parked up at Uluru, and we were sitting on the roof of our car with snacks, a couple drinks and a cosy blanket, watching the sunset when Shane whipped the little box out, of nowhere and asked me the big question!”

From the moment Rachel woke up on that magical day, it was pouring with rain – and while that isn’t the best news for an outdoor wedding, with rain comes good luck! And what else is a sign of good luck? “I’d just gotten out of the shower with freshly washed hair, ready to commence hair and makeup, but before that, I had to take my dogs outside for the bathroom. In those quick few seconds, I actually had a bird poop right down my hair/head. You couldn’t write about it,” she shared.

She wore this whimsical two-piece set from Kyha Studios with a voluminous layer skirt and a fitted bandeau style top. “I chose my dress on my first try on, actually. I went in thinking there was a specific one I wanted, but it just wasn’t for me! The dress/top and skirt I went with I actually only picked up to try on for fun!”

 

Her wedding party had a simple brief of white linens! Each bridesmaid wore various styles of linen dresses they bought, except for Georgia in the mini – her mother handmade it for her.

Shane and his wedding party wore the classic black suits from Peter Jackson paired with a simple black bowtie. “He didn’t even consider anything else – he was so sure of what he wanted,” explained Rachel.

Both Rachel and Shane loved spending time in Tweed Heads, so when they discovered the incredible Ancora right on the river, it was a no-brainer! “We actually hadn’t even looked through Ancora before we booked it; we’d just peeped our heads in the windows. We loved the fact it was on the river, we could have our ceremony and reception in the one place, accommodation was close by, and we loved the white, Mediterranean vibe of the inside!” they described. “The service was so great. I was always being checked in on if I needed another cocktail and what my favourite meal was, and that was a special touch by the staff. We also loved the food!! The squid was unreal! We also loved the lamb and the fish.”

The florals were the one thing Rachel wasn’t quite sure about, going back and forth between styles throughout the whole planning process – but she knew she’d choose something whimsical and bright from New Romantic Florals. “I can’t quite remember my initial plan but I definitely remember changing them at my first florist meeting months out from the wedding. I wanted something colourful but classic, with garden vibes, and man, did she deliver! They were gorgeous!!”

Since the rain was still pouring down, Shane and Rachel had to move their outdoor ceremony inside. “We made the call pretty early on in the day to move it inside, and to be honest, part of me was a little sad. Looking back now, I couldn’t have imagined it any other way,” she recalled. “We LOVED the ceremony inside. It made it feel so intimate, cosy, and comfortable, and we’re just so glad we had a rainy day that pushed us to have it inside. We really feel it made our ceremony!”

Rachel walked down the aisle with her father to “Stronger” by Ziggy Alberts, the same artist’s concert where they met! “I remember my coordinator saying, okay, now remember to hold your bouquet low, and as soon as I turned that corner up, I flew my bouquet with the nerves!”

They knew that they didn’t want the ceremony to feel rushed or skimmed over but still wanted a short and sharp proceeding. “We were lucky enough to have Shane’s father marry us as he recently completed his celebrant studies (Celebrations by Steve)! Having Steve at the altar made us both feel at total ease; he made us calm in an otherwise nerve-wracking moment, and it was just so special!”

After the ceremony had wrapped up, the wedding party made their way down to the beach for some portraits. “Funnily enough, I didn’t want to go onto the beach for photos, which I had previously discussed with the photographer. On the day, she said I really think we go down to the beach and I agreed. The portraits of Shane and me down there are 100000% my faves!! Trust your photographer people!”

Figtree Pictures took care of all things photography for Rachel and Shane and was the perfect addition to the party to help these love birds break out of their shell. “Unreal! I loved how she would laugh at Shane and me in a playful way – we can both be quite uncomfortable in front of a camera. She was there, but she wasn’t. There was guidance in portraits when we needed it, but for the most part, I honestly forgot they were there.”

N’Gaire and Ellie from Event Stylist & Co. were their wedding planners, and even as a last-minute decision by Rachel to bring them on – she couldn’t have been happier. “Now it’s one of the top things I would recommend to anyone having a wedding! Absolute legends! It was game-changing. I’m a pretty organised person and felt like I had it pretty under control but then they just come through with a fine tooth comb and worked their magic with the run sheet, etc. Also, the fact you don’t really need to communicate with the vendors once they’ve taken over was so good to just surrender to the excitement then.”

The top five things that made their whimsical wedding so special were:

“1. The fact it was Shane’s dad marrying us,

2. The rain!! This is probably an unpopular opinion, but the rain pushed us to have our ceremony indoors instead of outside in the garden, and it just made it feel so intimate,

3. Having all of our friends and family in the one room and feeling the love buzz in the air honestly felt electric to us,

4. Sitting in amongst our guests for dinner rather than at a separate bridal table,

5. The speeches! There aren’t many opportunities to hear how loved ones feel about you and your love for each other, so we soaked those moments up.”

If there was one thing Rachel was certain of for the reception, it was that she wanted her nine-year-old sister to give a speech. “She was confident enough, and she was all for it. She may have even stolen the show!”

During dinner the song “My Happiness” by Powderfinger came on – and every single person from their 80 guests sang along at the top of their lungs. “That was just such a cool moment you could never plan for.”

For the first dance, they chose an acoustic version of “Beyond” by Leon Bridges, which was sung live by their musician Jacques Van Lill.

Some advice this couple want to leave for future married couples include:

Rachel’s advice: “In the lead-up, or the morning of, I think you need to surrender and just let the day be what it is. Everything is then out of your control; roll with the punches and just enjoy all the special in-between planned moments!”

Shane’s: “Spend as much time together as you can; the day flies, so bask in every moment!”

Thanks to Figtree Pictures for capturing these beautiful images and to Ancora for sharing them with us. Please join us in congratulating Rachel and Shane on putting together this fun and whimsical wedding!